Gail’s Book Thoughts:
The holiday season for 2023 has almost faded away. I hope lots of great memories, feasts and good cheer were enjoyed by all.
Now’s the time to snuggle down for the often cruel winter months; grab a cup of your favourite beverage and crack open a new book adventure. Here are a few selections that you might consider.
Heather Morris has released a new historical fiction. You might remember her bestseller ‘Tattooist of Auschwitz’ which was an intense read. Her latest book is called, ‘Sisters Under the Rising Sun.’ Again, this story takes place amid World War II, but it focuses on the story of a group of Australian nurses along with a group of British citizens trying to escape Singapore when the Japanese forces invaded this area. The women are captured and held in one of the Japanese notorious POW camps. Morris does not dwell on the horrors of these camps but rather on the lives of these women as they help each other and demonstrate reserves of courage, resourcefulness, and determination.
This story is based on true historical events and characters. She has written a moving story that also includes many happy moments. It allows us to see the resiliency of humans during great suffering.
If mystery is your genre of choice, I want to highlight Nita Prose‘s new book which was released in late November. Ms, Prose is a Toronto-based author and her first book received great acclaim even reaching #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. It was called ‘The Maid.’ This book was not one of my favourite mysteries as I found it repetitious with a shallow plot line (That’s my opinion of course.) But I have read her new release, ’The Mystery Guest- A Maid,’ and really quite enjoyed it. The main character maid Molly, returns still working in the five-star hotel which has similar characteristics to the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. All of the other characters from her first book also return in this novel plus a few new mysterious characters.
The story is a well-developed mystery with lots of twists and turns. A famous writer, J.D. Grimthorpe, is conducting a special presentation at the hotel with a big secret announcement. As soon as he begins his speech, he drops dead on the hotel tea room floor, killed by poison. Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, starts the investigation but with a new twist this time in her suspicions. Of course, Molly is also trying to solve the killer’s identity. But to do so, Molly needs to go deep back into her past because long ago Molly knew the victim J.D.Grimthorpe in a different setting.
I think Ms. Prose’s style and storylines have definitely improved with her second novel. If you liked Molly in the first novel, you will really enjoy reading a more mature Molly in ‘The Mystery Guest.’ (Note: Nita Prose will be presenting ‘The Mystery Guest’ on Sunday, Feb. 4th at 11:00 am at The Trail Hub presented by Blue Heron Book Store in Uxbridge.)
Of course, we can’t forget the non-fiction genre. The author I want to focus on for this selection is Adam Shoalts. He is a young Canadian who loves exploring nature, particularly in the wilderness of our vast country. He has been nicknamed by a Toronto Star writer as a modern-day Indiana Jones. Adam is a geographer, historian, canoe enthusiast, author and now a public speaker. I had the opportunity to hear Adam speak about his nearly 4,000 km solo journey across Canada’s Arctic. It was truly exciting to hear him explain his adventure and then to later read his novel explaining how he and his canoe survive in very isolating, harsh conditions in our beloved country. He has written four books which I have thoroughly enjoyed.
His latest book was released in October 2023. It was acclaimed book of the month by Chapters/Indigo. The Toronto Star dedicated full-page coverage to his book and journey. The book is titled, “Where the Falcon Flies.” This story details Adam’s journey from his home at Long Point, Lake Erie following the path of the peregrine falcon as it migrates the southernmost shore of Canada to the remote mountains of northern Labrador and Quebec.
At the start of his book, Adam grabs his backpack and canoe and sets off on a 3,400 km journey. He paddles; portages the mighty Niagara Falls; dodges freighters in the commercial traffic lanes of the St. Lawrence Seaway; fights gale force winds and walks through thick mosquito-infested forests without trails. As he writes his adventure, you feel like you are journeying with him as he describes in great detail his activities such as choosing a campsite, wildlife encounters and managing his paddle through white water rapids.
The difference between this book from his other stories is that he is usually totally alone in the wilderness for 97% of his journey, That is not the case in this story as he travels the most populated areas of Canada in the first 2000 km of his story. So, it is very interesting to read about the people Adam meets along his journey and his interactions with them. It creates a very good feeling about the true nature of our Canadian people. He also describes the various terrain, vegetation, five ecoregions, and the historical sites he encounters on his journey. It becomes a mini history lesson of Ontario and Quebec’s early history.
I highly recommend this book. It is definitely an armchair adventure. Adam is also a dynamic public speaker. He is presently on a book tour and speaking in several local communities. Check out his website for dates and locations.
Happy Reading!
